Lombard Effect in Individuals With Nonphonotraumatic Vocal Hyperfunction: Impact on Acoustic, Aerodynamic, and Vocal Fold Vibratory Parameters.

PURPOSE: This exploratory study aims to investigate variations in voice production in the presence of background noise (Lombard effect) in individuals with nonphonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction (NPVH) and individuals with typical voices using acoustic, aerodynamic, and vocal fold vibratory measures of phonatory function. METHOD: Nineteen participants with NPVH and 19 participants with typical voices produced simple vocal tasks in three sequential background conditions: baseline (in quiet), Lombard (in noise), and recovery (5 min after removing the noise). The Lombard condition consisted of speech-shaped noise at 80 dB SPL through audiometric headphones. Acoustic measures from a microphone, glottal aerodynamic parameters estimated from the oral airflow measured with a circumferentially vented pneumotachograph mask, and vocal fold vibratory parameters from high-speed videoendoscopy were analyzed. RESULTS: During the Lombard condition, both groups exhibited a decrease in open quotient and increases in sound pressure level, peak-to-peak glottal airflow, maximum flow declination rate, and subglottal pressure. During the recovery condition, the acoustic and aerodynamic measures of individuals with typical voices returned to those of the baseline condition; however, recovery measures for individuals with NPVH did not return to baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: As expected, individuals with NPVH and participants with typical voices exhibited a Lombard effect in the presence of elevated background noise levels. During the recovery condition, individuals with NPVH did not return to their baseline state, pointing to a persistence of the Lombard effect after noise removal. This behavior could be related to disruptions in laryngeal motor control and may play a role in the etiology of NPVH. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20415600.

The Spanish 12-item version of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (Sp-SSQ12): adaptation, reliability, and discriminant validity for people with and without hearing loss.

PURPOSE: Because of the limited number of Spanish validated questionnaires available to assess auditory functionality in daily life situations in adults, the purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and the reliability of the Spanish version of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing 12 items scale (sp-SSQ12), adapted from the published Spanish SSQ49, and to provide reference data for normal and hearing-impaired populations. METHODS: The SSQ12 is a self-report questionnaire, consisting of 12 items assessing a range of daily life listening situations. One hundred fifty adults (101 female) with a mean age of 53.9 years (SD 20.3; range 20-88 years) took part in the study. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, validity, and floor and ceiling effects were investigated. RESULTS: The sp-SSQ12 questionnaire had high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95) and test-retest scores were highly correlated (ICC = 0.79). There was minimal evidence of floor and ceiling effects in our sample. Significant differences were observed overall and for the three subscales between normal and hearing-impaired groups. Although some significant differences in SSQ12 scores between groups of participants from different countries, these differences were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: The sp-SSQ12 questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool that is easy to administer and requires a short time to answer. We recommend the use of this tool for the assessment of functional hearing in the Spanish-speaking population.Implication for rehabilitationHearing loss impacts people's lives in a number of ways that are captured in the SSQ.The sp-SSQ12 is a valid and reliable tool for assessing everyday listening abilities and limitations experienced by Spanish-speaking adults with hearing loss.The sp-SSQ12 can be incorporated in the hearing rehabilitation process as a tool for evaluating and improving hearing assessment and rehabilitation programs.The sp-SSQ12 can help to identify adults who require a comprehensive hearing assessment.